Dean Edwards is here to bring us some festive cheer with his prawn cocktails, stilton croustades and chorizo bites
Prawn Cocktails
(makes 16)
Ingredients:
16 large cooked prawns (tiger or king prawn)
16 small baby gem leaves
2 ripe tomatoes deseeded and diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
Small squeeze lemon juice
Marie rose sauce:
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp brandy
Juice 1/2 lemon
A few drops of tabasco (optional)
A pinch of smoked paprika for each canape
Method:
1. In a bowl combine the onion, tomato, avocado, olive oil and lemon juice then season with salt and pepper. Then in a separate bowl stir through the marie rose sauce until fully combined.
2. Top each baby gem leaf with some of the tomato mixture, then top with a juicy prawn, drizzle over some of the marie rose sauce then sprinkle with a pinch of paprika.
Pear Walnut and Stilton croustades
(Makes 16)
Ingredients:
150g stilton, crumbled
50g walnuts, chopped
1 ripe pear, sliced into thin slivers
16 tsp chutney of your choice
16 shop bought croustades (small pastry cases)
Method:
1. Place a tsp of the chutney into the bottom of each pastry case, do this just before serving as the case may become soggy. Then add in some of the cheese and walnuts and finally top with a couple of slices of pear.
Braised chorizo bites
(Makes 16)
Ingredients:
150g cured chorizo sausage sliced into 16 1cm thick slices
200ml red wine
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 pieces sunblushed tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Method:
1. Start to fry the chorizo in a frying pan for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and red wine then simmer over a gentle heat for 15-20 minutes until the wine is reduced and syrupy. Leave to cool.
2. Sandwich the tomato between two basil leaves then finally add the chorizo and serve.